The present invention relates to a sensor and adjusting element for controlling high-power laser beams used for of material.
Existing prior art devices for laser beam control require several separate sensor and correcting elements, such as disclosed, for example, by the applicant's German Patent Documents DE-OS 31 34 555 A1, DE-OS 38 00 427 A1 or DE-PS 32 02 432 CS. Apart from the associated space requirement, considerable expenditures are also required just for the adjustability and fixing of the individual structural members or modules.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor and adjusting element of the above mentioned type in which a single structural component simultaneously permits the sensing and correction of angle and focussing errors in high-power laser beam operations.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the control apparatus according to the invention, in which the sensor and adjusting element is inserted as a complete structural unit into the beam path of a high-power laser system for the treatment of materials, in order to simultaneously sense and correct angle and focussing errors of the treatment beam. The surface of the workpiece, which is acted upon by laser beams, is cooled by liquid in a known manner.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.